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She also said that the use by any member of An Garda Síochána of the confidential recipient mechanism is a confidential process and as such the gardaí are not in a position to comment on the particular case at this stage.

It is understood that gardaí have not yet been made aware of the full details surrounding the allegations.

Earlier in the Dáil Deputy Flanagan said that a new garda whistleblower is currently giving evidence to the interim Garda Confidential Recipient.

Mr Flanagan said the garda had been left with no choice but to go public given the gaping hole in legislation.

Mr Flanagan said the garda's allegations are very serious.

He said one related to a cover-up of an original file that was stolen, and the original removed from the PULSE system and new information appeared.

Mr Flanagan said at least one of the accused was threatened by a garda to plead guilty on the day of the court case.

Mr Flanagan also said the garda made allegations about a "systematic and orchestrated effort by high ranking garda officers to induce and coerce citizens with no previous convictions to buy drugs from drug dealers, putting them in personal danger, in turn to sell drugs to undercover gardaí, without making any profit thus boosting crime detection figures".

Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn said the concerns Mr Flanagan was expressing were concerns that were shared.

Mr Flanagan said the Government has been in power for three years.

He said the information would be brought to the Garda Commissioner and this was not ideal.

He said he needed reassurance it would not be treated the way other information was.

Mr Quinn said society needs a new police authority and the Government would deliver this.